I’m taking a pause in the epic holiday giveaway to ask two very important questions. Can you believe that Christmas Day is one week away? Does this house look to you like it’s ready for Christmas? ME EITHER.

What’s a boomerang doing there? Who leaves shoes on the coffee table? Why won’t these boxes from the attic just unpack themselves? What’s so hard about hanging a towel on a rack? And what has the cat done for me lately?

These are the things a mother ponders in her heart. And then she takes a nap.

I have so much to do. I should be panicking, but I’m not. Or maybe this is how I panic–by shutting down. FALALALALA CHRISTMAS I CAN’T HEAR YOU.

The Littlest Who wrote his letter to Santa the other day (and it’s still not in the mail). In the middle of writing, he looked up, and asked, “Why don’t grown ups write letters to Santa?”

“Because when you grow up, you graduate to be Santa’s helper. And you know something?”

“What?”

“It’s just as much fun.”

Okay, so that was stretching it a bit. But I wanted him to know that Christmas magic doesn’t end with childhood. It is fun to be on Santa’s team. I love it.

If it isn’t sent, crafted, displayed, hung, baked, written or ordered by now it probably won’t be. I kind of like this point in the holidays – you panic, then surrender, re-evaluate and then focus on what is really important. It is liberating when you realize that, no, you do not have time to match all of the wrapping paper to your décor or make your own Kahlua.

The only way I can usually stay on track with Christmas decorating, etc. is to get it up Thanksgiving weekend and take it down on New Year’s Day! Otherwise, it’s anyone’s guess if we get it done! And a master list of “must dos” and “want to dos”–and by the way, I would like to know who schedules their kids’ birthday party at a major shopping mall 3 days before Christmas? I think I’ll just drop my daughter off and drive away! Yeesh!